Wednesday, April 4, 2018

April #OCParks Info - Plan A Day Of Fun Outdoors This Spring

Line up April with Hikes, Outdoor Kids Fun and Try New Things at OC Parks!

 
April 2018 Events Calendar for all OC Parks venues including regional, wilderness and historical parks sites, and beaches. 
 
Some highlight activities in the month include: 
 
April 7  - Caspers Adventure Day at Caspers Wilderness Park
April 7, 8-  Rattlesnake Awareness Day at Orange County Zoo
April 8  - The Mysterious World of O'Neill Park at O'Neill Regional Park
April 21 - Kids' Fishing Derby at Tri-City Regional Park
April 21 - Irvine Ranch Jamboree: Explore OC's Agricultural Past at Irvine Ranch Historic Park
April 22 - Birding Walk at Laguna Coast Wilderness Park 
 
OC PARKS APRIL 2018 CALENDAR OF EVENTS

April 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 – Ranger Led Hike
8 – 9:15 a.m.

Join OC Parks Rangers for a 1-mile nature hike in the beautiful Bell Canyon area of Caspers Wilderness Park. The hike will last approximately one hour and is suitable for all ages.
Location: Ronald W. Caspers Wilderness Park. 33401 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675. Meet at the Old Corral Day Use Area.
Website: www.ocparks.com/caspers
Cost: Free
Parking: $5 per vehicle
Contact: (949) 923-2235
Special Instructions: Contact park office for hike updates.
 
April 3 – Down on the Farm – Preschool Program
10:15 – 11:15 a.m.
Come learn all about farm animals including chickens, pigs, goats, sheep, and more! Class includes hands-on learning, fun crafts, and meeting zoo animals up close!
Location: OC Zoo. 1 Irvine Park Rd, Orange, CA 92869
Website: http://www.ocparks.com/zoo/
Cost: $5 per child (includes one adult)    
Parking: $3 per vehicle
Contact: (714) 973-6846
Special Instructions: Ages 3 to 4 years old only. Parent must accompany child for duration of program. Registration is required! Call 714-973-6846 to register.
 
April 4 – Restoration Stewardship Day
9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Join OC Parks and the Laguna Canyon Foundation for a morning of habitat restoration work in the Pecten Reef area of Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park. Help us create a healthier habitat for the native plants and wildlife that call the park their home. Depending on the time of year volunteers will assist with various restoration activities including removal of non-native plants, seed collection and/or planting of native plants.
Location: Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park. 28373 Alicia Parkway, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677. We will be meeting at the Aliso Viejo Community Park on the opposite end of the middle school.
Website: www.ocparks.com/aliso
Cost: Free   
Parking: Free
Contact: (949) 923-2200
Special Instructions: No experience is necessary and all tools will be provided. Please wear long pants, closed-toe shoes, sun protection and bring water. Registration is required, sign up online at www.eventbrite.com/restoration. Youth ages 16 and 17 are eligible to volunteer with parent permission. A form is required to be signed by their parent or guardian prior to starting the volunteer activities. Forms available at www.lagunacanyon.org/activities.
 
April 5 – Fitness Hike at Dilley
8:30 – 11 a.m.
Raise your heart rate and your spirits on this strenuous, fast-paced, 5.5-mile hike over steep and uneven terrain (900-ft. elevation gain) with Laguna Canyon Foundation volunteers.
Location: Laguna Coast Wilderness Park. 18751 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, CA 92651. James Dilley Preserve (I-5 or 405 south to 133 south to stoplight at 73 toll road; and make a U-turn, go 1 block. Dilley is on the right).
Website: www.ocparks.com/laguna
Cost: Free        
Parking: $3 per vehicle
Contact: (949) 923-2235
Special Instructions: For ages 15 and up. This is a strenuous, fast-paced hike. Please be sure you can maintain a 19-minute mile pace. For questions call (949) 497-8324. Registration is required, sign up online at www.eventbrite.com/fitnesshike.
 
April 6 - Animal Art I – Preschool Program
10:15 – 11:15 a.m.
Join us for an hour of creativity and fun with an animal theme!
Class includes hands-on learning, fun crafts, and meeting zoo animals up close!
Location: OC Zoo. 1 Irvine Park Rd, Orange, CA 92869
Website: http://www.ocparks.com/zoo/
Cost: $5 per child (includes one adult)    
Parking: $3 per vehicle
Contact: (714) 973-6846
Special Instructions: Ages 3 to 4 years old only. Parent must accompany child for duration of program. Registration is required! Call (714) 973-6846 to register.
 
April 7 – Keep It Wild Volunteer Day
8 – 11 a.m.
Join OC Parks and the Laguna Canyon Foundation during our habitat restoration stewardship event in Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park as we learn and work together to create a healthier home for the native plants and wildlife that call this area their home. Depending on the time of year, volunteers will assist with various stewardship activities, including removal of non-native plants, seed collection, planting of native plants and/or trash pick-up along the creek.
Location: Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park, Ranger Headquarters. 28373 Alicia Parkway, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677. From southbound Aliso Creek Road, turn right on Alicia Parkway, take the first right on Awma Road, then left into parking lot.
Website: www.ocparks.com/aliso
Cost: Free   
Parking: Free for Keep It Wild volunteers
Contact: (949) 923-2200
Special Instructions: No experience is necessary and all tools will be provided. Please wear long pants, closed-toe shoes, sun protection and bring water. Come out and join the team to help restore the wild lands we all enjoy! Youth ages 16 and 17 are eligible to volunteer with parent permission. A form is required to be signed by their parent or guardian prior to starting the volunteer activities. Youth under the age of 16 are not eligible to volunteer unless accompanied by an adult or guardian. Forms are available at www.lagunacanyon.org/activities.
Registration is required, sign up online at www.eventbrite.com/keepitwild.
 
April 7 – First Saturday of the Month Hike to the Redwoods
8:30 – 10:30 a.m.
Join OC Parks staff on the first Saturday of the month for an easy 1.1-mile early morning hike to the park's coastal redwood grove. You will use your five senses to engage with nature as you stroll to the redwoods.
Location: Carbon Canyon Regional Park. 4442 Carbon Canyon Road, Brea, CA 92823
Website: www.ocparks.com/carbon
Cost: Free    
Parking: $5 per vehicle, meet at parking lot 5
Contact: (714) 973-3160   
Special Instructions: All ages welcome (small children may have to be carried). Please email carboncanyon@ocparks.com or call (714) 973-3160 to register. Rain will cancel hike. Please bring water, sunscreen, hat and hiking shoes.
 
April 7, 10 – California Native Plants Hike
8:30 – 10:30 a.m.
Learn about the seasonal life of California Native Plants with Laguna Canyon Foundation volunteer naturalists on this enjoyable 2.5-mile hike (45-ft elevation gain) over moderately uneven terrain.
Location: Laguna Coast Wilderness Park. 18751 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, CA 92651. James Dilley Preserve (I-5 or 405 south to 133 south to stoplight at 73 toll road, make U-turn, go 1 block. Dilley is on the right).
Website: www.ocparks.com/lagunacoast
Cost: Free    
Parking: $3 per vehicle
Contact: (949) 923-2235
Special Instructions: Ages 12 and up. Online reservations required at www.eventbrite.com/canativeplants. For questions, call (949) 497-8324 Mon to Fri or (949) 923-2200 Sat/Sun.
 
April 7, 14, 21, 28 – Walk with a Naturalist
9 – 10:30 a.m.
Join O'Neill Regional Park naturalists and learn about the animals and nature of Trabuco Canyon. This will be a light to moderate walk on mostly paved roads.
Location: O’Neill Regional Park. 30892 Trabuco Canyon Road, Trabuco Canyon, CA 92678
Website: www.ocparks.com/oneill
Cost: Free
Parking: $5 per vehicle
Contact: (949) 923-2260
Special Instructions: Event is conditional on the weather.
 
April 7 – Caspers Park Foundation Monthly Meeting
9:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.
The Caspers Park Foundation hosts its monthly meeting in the Caspers Wilderness Park Nature Center. Please join for an interactive talk with a special guest.
Location: Ronald W. Caspers Wilderness Park. 33401 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675
Website: www.ocparks.com/caspers
Cost: Free
Parking: $5 per vehicle
Contact: (949) 923-2210
Special Instructions: Please contact the park office for more information at (949) 923-2210.
 
April 7 – Caspers Adventure Day
10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Adventure Day is a fun-filled family event! Come enjoy a full schedule of guided hikes, arts and crafts, wildlife exhibits, games, and food. Families and friends of all ages can partake in the numerous activities, including: wildlife-inspired games of ring toss, cowboy lasso, a scavenger hunt and storytelling. Learn about bugs, raptors, and conservation!  Come to Caspers to not only have an ‘Adventure’ but also “Find a New Adventure” while talking with the exhibitors and exploring the trails. Whether it be buzzing with a Bee Keeper about the life of a bee, or learning how to hike…Explore, Dream, Discover!
Location: Ronald W. Caspers Wilderness Park. 33401 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675
Website: www.ocparks.com/caspers
Cost: Free
Parking: Free
Contact: (949) 923-2210
Special Instructions: Food will be available for purchase from food vendors. For more information visit www.ocparks.comadventureday.
 
April 7, 8 – Rattlesnake Awareness Days
10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Learn about our local venomous reptiles and other reptiles
Enjoy special reptile keeper chats. Meet some of our scaly friends up close.
Location: OC Zoo 1. Irvine Park Road Orange, CA 92869
Website: www.ocparks.com/zoo
Cost: $5 per child (includes one adult)
Parking: $3 per vehicle
Special Instructions: Please come prepared with a sturdy day pack, water, snacks, closed-toe hiking shoes or boots, sunscreen, first aid and all other supplies to keep you safe and healthy on the trail. Each participant must carry their own day pack and water and be comfortable hiking an average moving pace of 3 miles per hour. Registration is required, sign up online at www.letsgooutside.org/loophike.
 
April 7 – Volunteer Led Hike
12 – 1 p.m.
Join Caspers Park Foundation volunteers for a 1-mile guided nature hike in the beautiful Bell Canyon area of Caspers Wilderness Park. The hike will last approximately one hour and is suitable for all ages.
Location: Ronald W. Caspers Wilderness Park. 33401 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675. Meet at the Old Corral Day Use Area.
Website: www.ocparks.com/caspers
Cost: Free
Parking: $5 per vehicle
Contact: (949) 923-2210
Special Instructions: Please contact park office for hike updates and cancellations.  
 
April 7 – Family Hike
3 – 5 p.m.
Come and enjoy an easy, 2.5-mile family hike over moderate but uneven terrain (45-ft. elevation gain). Starting at the James Dilley Preserve, we will hike one of the most diverse areas of the park to Barbara's Lake and back. Hike is led by Laguna Canyon Foundation naturalist volunteers.
Location: Laguna Coast Wilderness Park. 18751 Laguna Canyon Rd, Laguna Beach, CA 92651. James Dilley Preserve (I-5 or 405 south to 133 south to stoplight at 73 toll road; make a U-turn, go 1 block. Dilley is on the right).
Website: www.ocparks.com/lagunacoast
Cost: Free
Parking: $3 per vehicle
Contact: (949) 923-2235
Special Instructions: For questions, call (949) 497-8324 Mon-Fri or (949) 923-2200 Sat/Sun. Registration is required, sign up online at www.eventbrite.com/familyhike.  
 
April 7 – Orange County Astronomers
8 – 9 p.m.
Come join Orange County Astronomers and take a look at our night sky! Volunteers will set up multiple stations with telescopes and solar filters to view the galaxies, the stars, and otherworldly objects. Learn about the different types of telescopes and how to operate them.
Location: O’Neill Regional Park. 30892 Trabuco Canyon Road, Trabuco Canyon, CA 92678
Website: www.ocparks.com/oneill
Cost: Free
Parking: Free
Contact: (949) 923-2260
Special Instructions: For more information email oneillpark@ocparks.com or call (949) 923-2260.  Registration is required, sign up online at www.letsgooutside.org/ocastronomers.
 
April 8 – Second Sundays Restoration Program
9 – 11:30 a.m.
Join preserve staff and other volunteers in enhancing Upper Newport Bay's habitat for local wildlife. Activities may include non-native plant removal, planting natives, watering, trash removal and garden maintenance.
Location: Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve. 2301 University Drive, Newport Beach, CA 92660
Website: www.ocparks.com/newport
Cost: Free   
Parking: Free
Contact: (949) 497-8324
Special Instructions: No experience is necessary. Water and tools are provided. Minors ages 16 and younger must have legal guardian present at all times. Rain cancels event. Registration is required, sign up online at www.letsgooutside.org/secondsunday.
 
April 8 – The Mysterious World of O’Neill Park
9 – 10:30 a.m.
Have you ever wondered, "Where are all the wild animals in the park?"    Visit a Show and Share exhibit next to the Nature Center at O'Neill Regional Park and discover mysterious clues animals leave behind. Make a wild animal track mold and enjoy nature, crafts, and games.
Location: O’Neill Regional Park. 30892 Trabuco Canyon Road, Trabuco Canyon, CA 92678
Website: www.ocparks.com/oneill
Cost: Free
Parking: Free
Contact: (949) 923-2260
Special Instructions: For more information visit www.ocparks.com/mysteriousworld. Show and Share exhibit activities from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Scavenger Hunt or Nature Walk from 10:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
 
April 8, 22 – Beginning Archery Class
9 – 10:15 a.m.
Join Mile Square Park Staff for a Beginning Archery course for first time archers. This one hour course will include a safety instruction and provide you with an introduction to the sport of archery.
Location: Mile Square Regional Park. 16801 Euclid St., Fountain Valley, CA 92708
Website: www.ocparks.com/milesquare
Cost: Free
Parking: Free
Contact: (714) 973-6600
Special Instructions: All archery equipment will be provided. Park in the overflow parking lot near the Archery Range. Registration is required, sign up online at www.letsgooutside.org/archery. Rain will cancel event. 
 
April 11, 25 – Discovery Hike
8:30 – 11 a.m.
Explore beautiful Wood Canyon and discover its native flora and fauna with Laguna Canyon Foundation volunteer naturalists on this steep, uneven and rocky, 5-mile hike (depending on trail choice, up to a 500 ft. elevation gain). While we will stop from time to time, spending moments to "discover," this hike isn't for beginners.
Location: Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park. 28373 Alicia Parkway, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677. Canyon View Staging Area. From Pacific Park/Canyon Vistas intersection, go northwest on Canyon Vistas. Park legally (note street signs) on or near Canyon Vistas, preferably between Coastal Oak and Madia (22144 region of Canyon Vistas).
Website: www.ocparks.com/aliso
Cost: Free   
Parking: Free
Contact: (949) 923-2200
Special Instructions: Please wear close-toed hiking shoes, sun protection and bring plenty of water. Registration is required, sign up online at www.eventbrite.com/discoveryhike.
 
April 11 – Yoga Hike
9 – 10:30 a.m.
Stretch your mind and body on this 2.4-mile hike with a yoga twist over steep and uneven terrain (100-ft. elevation gain) led by Laguna Canyon Foundation volunteers.
Location: Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park. 28373 Alicia Parkway, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677. Begin at Wood Canyon Trail off Canyon Vistas in Aliso Viejo. From Pacific Park/Canyon Vistas intersection, go northwest on Canyon Vistas. Park legally (note street signs) on or near Canyon Vistas, preferably between Coastal Oak and Madia (22100 region of Canyon Vistas). Wood Canyon Trail starts as a paved sidewalk between a neighborhood park and tree-lined easement, then becomes dirt trail into the canyon. Hike leaders and participants will meet at the end of the paved sidewalk, entering the canyon.
Website: www.ocparks.com/aliso
Cost: Free   
Parking: Free
Contact: (949) 923-220
Special Instructions: For ages 12 and up. Please bring a towel and water, yoga mat optional. For questions, call (949) 497-8324 Monday to Friday or (949) 923-2200 Saturday/Sunday. Registration is required, sign up online at www.eventbrite.com/yogahike.
 
More to come for the rest of the month.. you can also check out www.ocparks.com for future events and outdoor fun planning!

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